The wealthiest men in Latin America, each accustomed to invoicing over a billion dollars a year, met in Buenos Aires between the 29th and 31st of March for the IV Entrepreneurial Summit of Latin America.

Among the participants was the soon-to-be presidential candidate of Ecuador, Alvaro Noboa Pontón, who arrived with his wife, Dr. Anabella Azín. Together with three of their four children, they stayed at the exclusive Alvear Hotel, which hosted the event.

The summit originated in 2003 as an initiative prompted by Carlos Slim – Mexican proprietor of "America Móvil" and the wealthiest businessman in Latin America – and his friends and mass media tycoons, Gustavo Cisneros (Venezuela) and Julio Mario Santo Domingo (Colombia). The first summit took place in Mexico, followed by the Dominican Republic in 2004, and Sao Paulo (Brazil) in 2005.

The 2006 Entrepreneurial Summit saw the institution of the annual "Fathers and Sons Encounter", and the participation of those young and upcoming entrepreneurs whose formation includes the handling of great companies. Noboa’s children also took part in the summit: Daniel, at 18 the eldest; Carla, 15, and John Sebastian (better known as Juan), who is only 14. All speak three languages and were active participants. Noboa’s youngest son of 5, Santiago, remained in Guayaquil studying English.

Wednesday’s encounter initiated the summit’s activities and the young people, together with their parents, discussed their perspective of their company’s future like a generation of managers to come. In the evening, the 220 participants gathered together in the elegant hotel for a welcome dinner which included a tango show that received continuous applause.

From 10 am the next day, after a speech by local host, Ricardo Esteves (Velox Group), entrepreneurs and important political figures such as former presidents Felipe González (Spain), César Gaviria (Colombia) and Julio Sanguinetti (Uruguay), took part in discussion panels. Words of welcome were also offered by Slim and Argentinean Alexander Bulgheroni (Bulgheroni Group). Thursday’s events included Noboa’s speech which focused on the social problematic and the work of the New Humanity Crusade Foundation: “I am a man whose heart is with the people. The New Humanity Crusade Foundation maintains five mobile clinics attending to 500 people a day…The international tendency of industrialists to be aware of their social role is very positive.”

That evening the entrepreneurs lined up in front of the aristocratic hotel to board buses that would take them to the Museum of Latin American Art, where owner Eduardo Constantini put on a formal black-tie dinner. The beautiful dresses and jewelry on display left no doubt regarding the wealth of their owners. Guests of the hotel at that moment also included Queen Beatriz of Holland, as well as Prince Guillermo and his wife, Maxima Zorriegueta.

During the dinner, Noboa enjoyed the company of Brazilian colleagues. He also took advantage of the encounter to strengthen his already good relations with Slim, Cisneros, Emilio Azcárraga (Television) and Argentineans Paolo Rocca (Techint) Alexander Roemmers (Roemmers Laboratories) and Constantini. This group represented one of the divergent positions regarding the appropriate mechanisms for lowering unemployment by offering opportunities to those marginalised by the market as leading to a better world. Other groups focused on specialisation as the road to obtaining better-paid jobs.

The final day of debate saw a return of focus to social responsibility and concluding papers were read by Slim, José Fanjul of the Dominican Republic, and Cisneros. On Saturday, April 1, Noboa’s children returned to Guayaquil, followed by Noboa’s wife on April 3. Alvaro Noboa, however, remained all week in his Buenos Aires’ offices to conduct business and to deliberate his upcoming announcement of official candidacy for the Ecuadorian Presidency.